Sony Fires Wheel Announcer Jim Thornton After Investigation

Jim Thornton, the longtime announcer for “Wheel of Fortune,” was terminated by Sony Pictures Television after an investigation into an incident aboard an American Airlines flight in May. A passenger reportedly alerted flight attendants after seeing material on Thornton’s laptop, prompting law enforcement to question him when the plane landed at Los Angeles International Airport. Photos circulated by media have not been independently authenticated and allegedly show Thornton accessing an online forum for people with pedophilic thoughts. Thornton’s attorney says he mistakenly followed a link while seeking suicide-prevention resources, left the site after realizing its nature and did not view, download or consume illegal material. She also says Thornton was never arrested or charged, and that authorities quickly determined no crime had occurred.